Ship&#39;s light



Sept. '16, 1930. A. LUDERS I 1,776,

SHIP S LIGHT Filed July 8, 1929 Patented Sept. 16, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ALFRED LUDERS, F STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT SHIP S LIGHT Application filed July 8, 1929.

This invention relates to a construction of vessels enabling the carrying of the bow light in such manner that there will be no troubiesome backward rays to interfere with the vision of the helmsman. It is the usual practice to carry the light on a pole at the bow, or on the mast, or on the pilot house or other superstructure, or on the rigging of the boat about the deck-line. One result of this is to cause reflections from the deck, which are sometimes troublesome to the helmsn'ran. In my vessel, I avoid the difficulty by placing the bow light in a pocket which is built as an integral part of the hull or bulwark structure of the vessel. This is so arranged that the light rays are uninterrupted through twenty points of the compass, namely, from straight ahead to two points'abaft the beam on either sideequivalent to 225.

By providing this pocket in the hull or bulwark structure, I not only absolutely prevent any rays of the light from coming onto the deck of the vessel, but I provide a permanent location for the light and protect the light itself from injury, and enhance the design and appearance of the vessel.

The light may be carried in a usual lantern having Fresnel glass, and may be inserted in the pocketeither from the front or the rear, and, if desired, protecting bars may be extended across the front of the pocket.

My invention is illustrated in the drawings with two forms of light and two different types of vessel. It is to be understood however, that these are simply illustrations of various forms in which the invention may be embodied.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective from the front of a vessel equipped with my light; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bow portion of a vessel of the clipper type having my light; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the construction of either Figs. 1 or 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective of a vessel having my invention, in which the light is of spherical form and mounted in a corresponding formed pocket; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through a bow of a vessel somewhat similar to Fig. 2, but with a differently arranged lantern.

Serial No. 376,718.

In Fig. 1, A indicates the hull of the vessel, B the bulwark, and C the pocket which in this case is set into the bulwark, the deck line in this case being indicated at D. The pocket C has preferably parallel top and bot tom horizontal surfaces as indicated at 10 and 11, and the lantern may readily be of such height as to practically fill the space between these two surfaces when it rests on the surface 11. The rear of the pocket may have a vertical concavity as indicated at 12 in Fig. 3 to receive the rear portion of the light. Beyond this cavity the rear wall of the pocket flares as shown at 13 on an angle preferably at 22 behind an athwartship line, thus giving an available free space for the rays of light of 225. The center of the light is preferably on or forward of the plane where the inclined surfaces 13 would meet. The rear wall of the pocket, providing the surfaces 12and 13, is preferably made by a transverse portion B of the bulwark itself, as shown in Fig. 3. r

The lantern, designated E, may be of any desired construction. It stands on the bottom 11 of the pocket and may extend into the concavity 12 of the bulwark front. If desired, the lantern may be of sufiicient height to practically contact with the top wall 10 of the pocket. This lantern is held in place in any suitable manner by means not shown, as for instance, suitably movable bars or straps extending about the upper and lower portion of the light. If desired, the bulwark front B may have a central portion normally closed by a door, which may be opened to enable the light to be inserted from the rear. In this case the protecting bars would be permanent.

Fig. 2 indicates a similar construction to that described, but in this case the pocket, instead of being entirely made into the bulwark, is partly in the hull of the vessel and partly in the bulwark, the deck-line being indicated at D In Fig. at, I have shown the pocket C as of a different shape and mounted entirely in the hull A of the vessel. In this instance the lantern E is shown as of the spherical type and the pocket has a partially spherical t recess to receive such lantern. The lantern mental and is partly in the hullof thejv'essel I "however projects sufiiciently so that'its rays are Visible for l12 ?"eitlier sideof the foreand-aft axis ofthe Vessel.

.57 indicates asiinilar construction to' that illustrated inEigQQ and heretofore described,-but in thiscase the lantern is segand partly in the bulwark-,the deck line being indicated atD In'this instance-I. have pocket bein'gf recessedfbetween the inclined planesto'receive the lantern In testimony Wh signature.

shown the lantern/designatedE a s being? g I retained in position by suitable bars or'straps e;

extending about the'upper and lowerportion of the light and a protectingzbar 2lis shown-in front of the light. Thel i ghtindi cated at isret ain'edin afsocket-Inernher 26 2 which may readily he inserted from therear through-theopeningflfi in the bulwark,

It Will be seen froin the drawings tl atby g the provision of the pocket in. the structure of the vessel itself, I accomplish thevarious dey "siredresults offorming ,adefinite-and pro- I tected location forthelighhandof prevent ing the rays from the light being reflected from the deck "of the vessel though they are i unobstructed at the front and for the re-' -quisite distance at the sides. Furthermore, V g

the arrangement of-the pocket enhances the j appearance of. the vesseli so that the 'light be 6 coniesla practical ornament.

By locating theibow lightv at the entrenie V i front of the vessel as'shown', italsohas the advantage that it may beernployed as a search 7 light for throwing a beam on' the-Water inc 7 1 mediately in front 0i thevessel, Whichis of V dvantage when runn ng in dangerous aters. 1

I claim "'1 A vessel i having in its bovt alcove the l of the'iextreme how line; said pocketw being formed to. carry a lantern therays 'ofwhich' v klnay bevisihlefor.aboutl12% 0f the axis of the vessel. v

f either side 2. A vesselhavingin the point oiitsbow,

' abcveithe Waterline, a pocket built' into the hulliorjbulwarkas a permanent part of the the vessel.

closed inuseat the rear, and afilanter'n ocg m fwater line, apocketextendingztoeither-side structure; saidpocket heing open in front 5 and for at least'a portion of eachslde but cupying' the'pocket and having its'rays visi- ,7

ble in front andat'both sides of the axis of '3. A vessel having formed in the structure thereof at .the b0W alo0Ve the Water line a 1 pocket Withtop and bottom-walls substanv .3 tially horizontal and Witha-rear surface in vertical planes inclined b'ack'wardly froin'the i transverse lane at ri ht an les to the vera i a u z: 7

tical fore-and-aft plane of thevessel; 1 r

4. A vessel' having formed in the structure i thereof at the bow above the-Water line a pocket'with a rear surfacein vertical planes e inclined hackwardly from the transverse plane at-right angles to the Vertical fore-andso i mDL U ER 7 

